United Group Insurance

Iowa State coach impressed with WVU’s Tavon Austin

Sports

November 21st, 2012 by Ric Hanson

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Approaching the end of his stellar career at West Virginia, Tavon Austin continues to find ways to impress his teammates. Now he has a new fan in Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads. After returning from a win at Kansas, Rhoads started watching tape of West Virginia’s loss to Oklahoma and quickly realized what Austin was up to.

Inserted as a running back for the first time this season, Austin ran for a school-record 344 yards and set a Big 12 record with 572 all-purpose yards Saturday. Rhoads says with a shorter week before Iowa State (6-5, 3-5 Big 12) hosts the Mountaineers (5-5, 2-5) on Friday, he’s scrambling to find ways to slow down Austin. He at least wants to give his players a chance to tackle him.